"When I was a sophomore, people were telling me I could eventually be a state champion," the Stockton senior said. "I laughed them off."

He wasn't laughing Saturday. Even before Timpe, who started on No. 10, birdied his final two holes, he knew he was in the running.

"I just wanted to get my two-putt par and get out on No. 8," Timpe said in a phone interview, "but I made a 20-foot downhill birdie and my fans were cheering loudly. I figured that was a good sign. And on No. 9, a guy was taking pictures of me all the way up the fairway. I had a hunch it was close."

Almost too close. Timpe took the lead with those back-to-back birdies but didn't win the Class 1A state golf title at Prairie Vista in Bloomington until Eureka junior Trevor Gold missed a 12-foot birdie putt on 18.

Gold, who finished in the state's top 10 for the third year in a row, made a huge charge by going birdie-eagle-birdie on Nos. 15-17 before getting a par on 18 when his putt that could have forced a playoff slid below the hole.

Timpe watched that putt behind the 18th green with one arm around sophomore teammate Zach Lacher and the other with his fingers cross behind his back. "It was nerve-wracking," he said.

"I have to give (Gold) a round of applause for finishing the way he did. That was really impressive."

Timpe shot 72-73 to finish 1-over par for two days and almost led Stockton to the first state golf trophy in NUIC history. The Blackhawks shot the second-best score Saturday, even shooting seven strokes better than state champ El Paso-Gridley, but finished sixth, three strokes out of third place and five out of second.

"It was a fun way to go out," Lacher said. "We proved we belonged."

Cameron Upmann shot 164 for two days, Aric Jordan 175 and Lacher 177.

"I couldn't be prouder of the way the kids competed today," coach Casey Kenna said.

Neither could Timpe, who said his teammates pushed him to a state title after he didn't qualify for state as a junior.

"Conference, regionals and sectionals were all bummers as a junior," Timpe said. "I learned then it's important how you work in the summer.

"I give a big shoutout to my teammates. Without them, I wouldn't be out that much. Every time I went out to the course, one of them was practicing with me. When you work this hard and reach your goal, it's pretty crazy."

Page 2 of 2 - Timpe, Stockton's only senior, expects the Blackhawks to now keep winning without him.

"I have 100 percent faith in my teammates," Timpe said. "I told them, next year I better be down here watching them at state."

In the individual competition, Aquin's Cullen Barkau tied for 17th at 158, Eastland's Devin Hartman tied for 24th with a 160 and Dakota's Alec Heinz shot 181 for two days.

In Class A girls golf at Red Tail Run in Decatur, Lena-Winslow's Lexi Graf tied for 50th with rounds of 91 and 92 for a 183 and Eastland's Kori Freidag was one stroke behind with rounds of 91 and 93 for 184.